PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF COLORADO
8-K, 1998-04-28
ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934





Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):    April 15, 1998


                       PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



        Colorado                          1-3280                84-0296600
(State or Other Jurisdiction           (Commission            (IRS Employer
   of Incorporation)                   File Number)         Identification No.)

1225 17th Street, Suite 900, Denver, Colorado                    80202-5533
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code             (303) 571-7511


          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)





<PAGE>



Item 5.   Other Events.

     Public Service  Company of Colorado (the  "Registrant")  is filing herewith
the following  exhibit in connection  with the offering of its First  Collateral
Trust Bonds,  Series No. 6, 6% Bonds due 2003 by the Registrant  pursuant to the
registration  statement of the  Registrant and PSCO Capital Trust I on Form S-3,
as  amended  (File  No.  333-47485)  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                                Index to Exhibits

Exhibit
Number                                    Exhibit

1.1           Bond Purchase  Contract,  dated as of April 15, 1998,
              between the Registrant  and Salomon  Brothers Inc, as
              representative   of  the  several   purchasers  named
              therein.




                                        2

<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                             PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO



Dated: April 28, 1998                        By: /s/ Paul J. Bonavia
						-------------------------------
                                                  Senior Vice President and
						  General Counsel


                                        3

<PAGE>


                                  Exhibit Index


      Exhibit
      Number                           Description

         1.1                  Bond Purchase Contract,  dated as of
                              April   15,   1998,    between   the
                              Registrant and Salomon Brothers Inc,
                              as  representative  of  the  several
                              purchasers named therein.


                                        4


                       PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO

                             BOND PURCHASE CONTRACT



     Public Service Company of Colorado, a Colorado corporation (the "Company"),
confirms its agreement with each of the Purchasers (as hereinafter defined) with
respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Purchasers, severally
and not jointly, of the Bonds (as hereinafter defined).

     1.  Purchasers and  Representative.  If there shall be two or more persons,
firms or  corporations  named as  purchasers  in  Schedule  I  hereto,  the term
"Purchasers" as used herein shall be deemed to mean the several  persons,  firms
or corporations so named (including the Representative hereinafter mentioned, if
so named, and any Purchasers  substituted  pursuant to paragraph 11 hereof), and
the  term   "Representative"  as  used  herein  shall  be  deemed  to  mean  the
representative or representatives  named in Schedule I hereto. If there shall be
only one  person,  firm or  corporation  named in  Schedule  I hereto,  the term
"Purchasers"  and the term  "Representative"  as used  herein  shall  mean  such
person, firm or corporation.  The Representative represents and warrants that it
has the necessary  power and authority to execute this Contract on behalf of the
Purchasers  and to otherwise  act for each of the  Purchasers  in respect of all
matters  referred  to in  this  Contract.  All  obligations  of  the  Purchasers
hereunder are several and not joint.

     2.  Description of Bonds.  The Company proposes to issue and sell the Bonds
as a single  series  under  its  Indenture,  dated as of  October  1,  1993 (the
"Original  Indenture"),  to U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly First
Trust of New  York,  National  Association),  as  successor  trustee  to  Morgan
Guaranty Trust Company of New York (the  "Trustee"),  as heretofore  amended and
supplemented and as it will be further supplemented by a supplemental  indenture
creating the Bonds (said Original Indenture,  as so amended and supplemented and
to be further  supplemented,  and said supplemental  indenture being hereinafter
referred to as the "Indenture" and the "Supplemental Indenture",  respectively).
The Bonds shall be issued in the aggregate  principal  amount or amounts,  shall
bear  interest  at the rate or rates,  shall be payable on the dates,  and shall
mature on the date or dates set  forth,  and shall be subject  to  optional  and
sinking fund redemption as described, in Schedule II hereto. The term "Bonds" as
used in this Contract shall mean the bonds described in this paragraph 2.


                                       -1-

<PAGE>



     3.  Representations  and Warranties of the Company.  The Company represents
and warrants to the Purchasers that:

               (a) The  Company  has  filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
          Commission (the  "Commission") a registration  statement,  including a
          prospectus,  for the  registration  of securities  having an aggregate
          principal  amount not  exceeding  $450,000,000,  including  the Bonds,
          under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the
          offering  thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the
          rules and regulations of the Commission  under the 1933 Act (the "1933
          Act  Regulations"),  and has filed such amendments thereto as may have
          been required to the date hereof. Such registration statement has been
          declared  effective  by the  Commission  and the  Indenture  has  been
          qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939
          Act").  Such  registration  statement,  in the form in which it became
          effective,  as amended to the date hereof,  including the information,
          if any,  deemed to be a part  thereof  pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the
          1933 Act Regulations  (the "Rule 430A  Information") or Rule 434(d) of
          the 1933 Act Regulations (the "Rule 434 Information"),  is hereinafter
          referred to as the "Registration  Statement";  the prospectus included
          in the  Registration  Statement,  as such  prospectus  may  have  been
          amended to the date hereof,  is hereinafter  referred to as the "Basic
          Prospectus"; and the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by a prospectus
          supplement  relating to the Bonds (the  "Prospectus  Supplement"),  is
          hereinafter referred to as the "Prospectus";  provided,  however, that
          (i)  the  terms  "Registration  Statement",   "Basic  Prospectus"  and
          "Prospectus"  shall be deemed to refer to and  include,  in each case,
          the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
          Form  S-3  under  the  1933  Act,  (ii) any  reference  herein  to any
          amendment or supplement to the Prospectus  shall be deemed to refer to
          and  include  any  documents  filed  after the date of the  Prospectus
          pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
          as amended (the "1934 Act"), and so incorporated by reference,  all of
          such documents so incorporated by reference being hereinafter referred
          to  as  the  "Incorporated   Documents",   and  (iii)  any  prospectus
          supplement to the Basic  Prospectus  which relates to securities other
          than  the  Bonds  shall  not  be  deemed  to be a part  of  the  Basic
          Prospectus  or the  Prospectus.  If the Company  files a  registration
          statement to register a portion of the Bonds and relies on Rule 462(b)
          of the 1933 Act Regulations for such registration  statement to become
          effective upon filing with the Commission (the "Rule 462  Registration
          Statement"),  then, after such filing, all references to "Registration
          Statement" herein shall be deemed to be to the Registration


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



          Statement  referred to above and the Rule 462 Registration  Statement,
          as each such registration statement may be amended to the date hereof.
          If the Company elects to rely on Rule 434 of the 1933 Act Regulations,
          all references to the "Prospectus" shall be deemed to include the form
          of prospectus and the applicable term sheet or abbreviated  term sheet
          (the "Term Sheet"),  as the case may be, taken  together,  provided to
          the Purchasers by the Company in reliance on Rule 434.

               (b) At the respective  times the  Registration  Statement and any
          post-effective   amendments  thereto  (including  the  filing  of  the
          Company's  most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K with the  Commission
          subsequent to the date the  Registration  Statement  became  effective
          (the "Annual Report on Form 10-K")) became effective, the Registration
          Statement and any amendments and supplements  thereto  complied,  and,
          upon the filing of the Prospectus Supplement with the Commission,  the
          Prospectus  will comply,  with the  provisions of the 1933 Act and the
          applicable  1933  Act  Regulations,   or  pursuant  to  the  1933  Act
          Regulations  are or  will be  deemed  to have  complied  or to  comply
          therewith;  at the time the Registration  Statement became  effective,
          the  Registration  Statement did not contain an untrue  statement of a
          material  fact or omit to state a material  fact required to be stated
          therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading;
          and, at the time the  Registration  Statement  became effective and at
          the date hereof,  the Basic Prospectus did not and does not include an
          untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact
          necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
          circumstances  under which they were made, not  misleading;  provided,
          however, that none of the foregoing  representations and warranties in
          this  subparagraph  (b) shall  apply to that part of the  Registration
          Statement  which shall  constitute the Statement of Eligibility  under
          the 1939 Act of the trustee  under the  Indenture  (the  "Statement of
          Eligibility"). If Rule 434 under the 1933 Act Regulations is used, the
          Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434.

               (c) The Incorporated  Documents, at the time they were filed with
          the   Commission,   complied  in  all  material   respects   with  the
          requirements  of the 1934 Act and the  rules  and  regulations  of the
          Commission  thereunder  (the "1934 Act  Regulations"),  and, when read
          together with the other information in the Prospectus,  do not contain
          an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a material
          fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
          therein, in the light of the circumstances under


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



          which they were made, not misleading;  and any additional Incorporated
          Documents will, when they are filed with the Commission, comply in all
          material  respects with the  requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934
          Act Regulations and will not contain an untrue statement of a material
          fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
          necessary  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of the
          circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

               (d)  The  financial   statements  included  in  the  Registration
          Statement present fairly the financial position of the Company and its
          consolidated subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of
          their operations for the periods  specified;  and, except as otherwise
          stated in the Registration  Statement,  such financial statements have
          been  prepared  in  conformity  with  generally  accepted   accounting
          principles  applied on a consistent  basis during the periods involved
          and the supporting  financial  schedules  included in the Registration
          Statement  present  fairly  the  information  required  to  be  stated
          therein. Arthur Andersen LLP, the accountants who certified certain of
          such financial  statements and financial  schedules,  are  independent
          certified public  accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933
          Act Regulations.

               (e) Except as may  otherwise be reflected in or  contemplated  by
          the  Registration  Statement,  since the respective  dates as of which
          information  is given  therein (i) there has been no material  adverse
          change nor any development or event  involving a prospective  material
          adverse  change in the business,  property or condition,  financial or
          otherwise,  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  considered  as one
          enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business,
          and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has entered
          into any  transactions  which  are  material  to the  Company  and its
          subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,  other than in the ordinary
          course of  business;  and,  except as so  reflected  or  contemplated,
          neither  the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has any  contingent
          obligations  which are  material to the  Company and its  subsidiaries
          considered as one enterprise.

               (f)  The  Company  has  been  duly  incorporated  and is  validly
          existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
          of Colorado with  corporate  power and authority to own its properties
          and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement.


                                       -4-

<PAGE>



               (g) The issuance and sale by the Company of the Bonds pursuant to
          this  Contract have been duly  authorized  by all necessary  corporate
          action;  and, when issued,  authenticated and delivered by the Company
          pursuant  to  this  Contract  against  payment  of  the  consideration
          therefor  specified  herein,  the  Bonds  will be  valid  and  binding
          obligations  of the  Company,  enforceable  in  accordance  with their
          terms,  except  as  enforcement  thereof  may be  limited  by  laws or
          principles  of  equity   affecting   generally  the   enforcement   of
          mortgagees' and other creditors' rights,  including without limitation
          bankruptcy  and  insolvency  laws and  state  laws  which  affect  the
          enforcement of certain remedial provisions of the Indenture,  and will
          be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

               (h) The issuance and delivery by the Company of the Class A Bonds
          (as  defined  in  the   Indenture)   to  be  made  the  basis  of  the
          authentication  and  delivery of the Bonds (the "Class A Bonds")  have
          been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate action;  and when (i)
          the Class A Bonds have been issued, authenticated and delivered to the
          Trustee pursuant to the Indenture and (ii) the Bonds have been issued,
          authenticated  and  delivered  to  the  Purchasers  pursuant  to  this
          Contract  against  payment  of the  consideration  therefor  specified
          herein, the Class A Bonds will be valid and binding obligations of the
          Company,  enforceable  in  accordance  with  their  terms,  except  as
          enforcement  thereof  may be limited by laws or  principles  of equity
          affecting   generally  the   enforcement  of  mortgagees'   and  other
          creditors'  rights,   including  without  limitation   bankruptcy  and
          insolvency laws and state laws which affect the enforcement of certain
          remedial  provisions  of the PSCO 1939  Mortgage  (as  defined  in the
          Indenture),  and will be  entitled  to the  benefits  of the PSCO 1939
          Mortgage.

               (i) The execution and delivery of this  Contract,  the incurrence
          of the  obligations  herein  set  forth  and the  consummation  of the
          transactions  herein contemplated will not conflict with or constitute
          a breach of, or default under, the Restated Articles of Incorporation,
          as they may have  been  amended,  or  By-Laws  of the  Company  or any
          contract,  lease,  note,  mortgage  or other  instrument  to which the
          Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of
          them  may  be  bound,  or  any  law,   administrative   regulation  or
          administrative or court order.

               (j) The Company has filed with the Public Utilities Commission of
          the State of Colorado (the "Colorado  Commission") an application with
          respect to the issuance  and sale of the  Company's  debt  securities,
          including the Bonds,


                                       -5-

<PAGE>



          and the  Colorado  Commission  has  issued its order  authorizing  and
          approving such issuance and sale. No further consent or  authorization
          of or approval by the Colorado Commission or any other governmental or
          regulatory  authority  or body is  necessary  in  connection  with the
          issuance  and  sale  by the  Company  of the  Bonds  pursuant  to this
          Contract,  except that there must be  compliance  with the  securities
          laws in the  jurisdictions  in which the Bonds are to be  offered  and
          sold.

               (k) The  franchises  held by the  Company  and its  subsidiaries,
          together with the applicable Certificates of Convenience and Necessity
          issued by The Public  Utilities  Commission  of the State of Colorado,
          give the Company and such subsidiaries all necessary authority for the
          maintenance and operation of their respective  properties and business
          as now  conducted,  and  are  free  from  burdensome  restrictions  or
          conditions of an unusual character.

     Any  certificate  signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representative or to Cahill Gordon & Reindel,  who are acting as counsel for the
Purchasers, shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each
Purchaser as to the matters covered thereby.

     4. Purchase and Sale. On the basis of the  representations  and warranties,
and subject to the terms and conditions, in this Contract set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to each of the several Purchasers, severally and not jointly, and
each Purchaser agrees,  severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company,
the  principal  amount of the Bonds set forth in Schedule I hereto  opposite the
name of such Purchaser at the price specified in Schedule II hereto.

     5. Public  Offering.  Forthwith  upon the execution of this  Contract,  the
Representative  shall furnish the Company in writing any  information  regarding
the public  offering,  if any, of the Bonds,  in addition to the information set
forth on Schedules I and II hereto,  which is required to prepare the Prospectus
Supplement.

     6. Time and Place of Closing. Delivery of the Bonds and payment therefor by
certified or official bank check or checks  payable to the order of the Company,
or by wire  transfer to a bank account  specified  by the Company,  in the funds
specified in Schedule II hereto,  shall be made at the office of LeBoeuf,  Lamb,
Greene & MacRae,  L.L.P.,  125 West 55th Street,  New York,  New York,  at 10:00
A.M.,  New York time,  on the date  specified in Schedule II hereto,  or at such
other  place,  time  or  date  as may be  agreed  upon  by the  Company  and the
Representative.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>



The time and date of such payment and  delivery  are herein  called the "Closing
Date".

     The Bonds shall be delivered to or upon the order of the Representative for
the respective  accounts of the Purchasers in registered form in such authorized
denominations and registered in such names as the  Representative may reasonably
request in writing at least one  business  day prior to the Closing  Date or, to
the extent not so requested,  in the names of the respective  Purchasers in such
denominations  as the Company shall  determine.  The Company  agrees to make the
Bonds available to the Representative for checking not later than 2:30 P.M., New
York time,  on the last business day preceding the Closing Date at the office of
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, New York, New York, or at such other place
as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative.

     7.  Covenants of the Company.  The Company  covenants  with each  Purchaser
that:

               (a) the Company will promptly deliver to the  Representative  two
          signed copies of the registration  statement  relating to the Bonds as
          originally filed and of all amendments thereto heretofore or hereafter
          made (in each case including all  Incorporated  Documents and exhibits
          thereto, other than exhibits incorporated by reference), and including
          a signed copy of each  consent  and  certificate  included  therein or
          filed as an exhibit  thereto,  and will deliver to the  Representative
          conformed  copies of each of the foregoing  (excluding  such exhibits,
          consents and  certificates)  for  distribution to the Purchasers.  The
          Company   will  also   deliver   to  the   Purchasers,   through   the
          Representative,  as soon as  practicable  after  the date  hereof  and
          thereafter from time to time, as many copies of the Prospectus and any
          amendments or supplements thereto as the Representative may reasonably
          request for the purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act.

               (b) The Company will not file any  amendment to the  Registration
          Statement  (including  any filing  under  Rule  462(b) of the 1933 Act
          Regulations)  or make any amendment or  supplement  to the  Prospectus
          (including  any Term  Sheet)  of which  the  Representative  shall not
          previously  have been  advised  or which  shall  have been  reasonably
          disapproved  in  writing  by the  Representative  or  Cahill  Gordon &
          Reindel.

               (c) The Company  will pay or cause to be paid (i) all expenses in
          connection   with  (A)  the  preparation  and  filing  by  it  of  the
          Registration Statement, (B) the preparation,


                                       -7-

<PAGE>



          printing,  issuance and delivery of the Bonds as provided in paragraph
          6 hereof, (C) the preparation,  execution, filing and recording of the
          Indenture and the  Supplemental  Indenture and the preparation of this
          Contract,  (D) the  preparation,  issuance and delivery of the Class A
          Bonds,  (E) the  preparation,  execution,  filing and recording of the
          indenture  supplemental to the PSCO 1939 Mortgage creating the Class A
          Bonds  (the  "1939  Mortgage  Supplemental  Indenture"),  and  (F) the
          printing and delivery to the Purchasers,  through the  Representative,
          in reasonable quantities,  of copies of the Registration Statement and
          the Prospectus,  and any amendments or supplements  thereto (except as
          otherwise  provided in  subparagraph  (d) of this  paragraph  7), this
          Contract, the Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture,  (ii) the fees
          and disbursements of the Company's counsel and accountants  related to
          the  preparation of the  Registration  Statement and  Prospectus,  the
          issuance  and sale of the Bonds and issuance and delivery of the Class
          A  Bonds,   (iii)  the  expenses   incurred  in  connection  with  the
          qualification  of the Bonds under  securities  laws in accordance with
          subparagraph  (g) of this  paragraph  7,  including  filing  fees  and
          reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of  Cahill  Gordon &  Reindel  in
          connection  therewith and in connection  with the  preparation  of the
          Blue Sky Survey and the Legal Investment  Survey, if any, and (iv) all
          taxes, if any (except transfer  taxes),  on the issuance of the Bonds.
          If this Contract is terminated in accordance with subparagraph (a)(i),
          (a)(ii) or (b) of paragraph 12 hereof,  the Company will reimburse the
          Purchasers for all their out-of-pocket expenses, including the fee and
          disbursements of Cahill Gordon & Reindel.  The Company will not in any
          event be liable to any of the Purchasers for damages on account of the
          loss of anticipated profits.

               (d) If, at any time when a  prospectus  relating  to the Bonds is
          required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, the Prospectus, as it may
          then have been amended or  supplemented,  would, in the opinion of the
          Company  or the  Representative,  include  an  untrue  statement  of a
          material fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary in order to
          make the statements  therein,  in the light of the circumstances under
          which they were made, not misleading, or if, at such time, it shall be
          necessary to amend or supplement the  Prospectus,  as it may then have
          been  amended or  supplemented,  in order to comply with Section 10 of
          the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will, subject to
          Section 7(b) hereof, forthwith prepare and file with the Commission an
          amendment or supplement  which will correct such statement or omission
          or effect such  compliance  and will  furnish a  reasonable  number of
          copies thereof to


                                       -8-

<PAGE>



          the  Representative.  During  the  first  nine  months  after the date
          hereof, the cost of so preparing, filing and furnishing such amendment
          or  supplement  will be borne by the Company and,  thereafter,  by the
          Purchasers who request the same; provided,  however,  that should such
          amendment  or  supplement  relate  solely  to  the  activities  of any
          Purchaser or Purchasers, then such cost shall in any event be borne by
          such  Purchasers.  For purposes of this  subparagraph  (d) the Company
          shall be entitled to assume  that a  prospectus  relating to the Bonds
          shall no longer be  required to be  delivered  under the 1933 Act from
          and after the forty-fifth day after the date of this Contract,  unless
          it shall have received from the Representative notice to the contrary.
          Whenever  a  prospectus  shall be so  required  to be  delivered,  the
          Purchasers will deliver the Prospectus, as it may have been amended or
          supplemented at the time of such delivery.

               (e) The Company  will make  generally  available  to its security
          holders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement (which need not
          be audited) of the Company and its consolidated  subsidiaries covering
          a period of 12 months  beginning  not later  than the first day of the
          Company's  fiscal quarter next following the date of this Contract and
          complying with Rule 158 of the 1933 Act Regulations.

               (f) The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of
          the 1933 Act Regulations  and/or Rule 434 of the 1933 Act Regulations,
          if and as applicable, and during the period when a prospectus relating
          to the Bonds is  required  to be  delivered  under the 1933 Act or the
          1934 Act,  the Company  will  promptly  advise the  Representative  by
          telephone,  promptly confirmed in writing, (i) of the effectiveness of
          any  post-effective  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement or the
          filing of any supplement or amendment to the  Prospectus,  (ii) of the
          receipt of any comments from the  Commission,  (iii) of any request by
          the Commission for any amendment to the Registration  Statement or any
          amendment  or   supplement  to  the   Prospectus  or  for   additional
          information  and (iv) of the issuance of any stop order under the 1933
          Act with respect to the  Registration  Statement or of the institution
          of any  proceedings  therefor of which the Company shall have received
          notice or become  aware,  and will use its best efforts to prevent the
          issuance of any such stop order and,  if issued,  to secure the prompt
          lifting or removal thereof. For purposes of this subparagraph (f), the
          Company shall be entitled to assume that a prospectus  relating to the
          Bonds shall no longer be required to be  delivered  under the 1933 Act
          from and after  the  forty-fifth  day after the date of this  Contract
          unless notified to the contrary by a Purchaser.


                                       -9-

<PAGE>



               (g)  During  the  period  of three  months  from the date of this
          Contract,  the Company  will furnish  such proper  information  as may
          lawfully be required and otherwise  cooperate in qualifying  the Bonds
          for offer and sale under the securities laws of such  jurisdictions as
          the Representative may reasonably designate;  provided,  however, that
          the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign  corporation
          or  to  file  a  general   consent   to  service  of  process  in  any
          jurisdiction,  or to comply with any other  requirement  deemed by the
          Company to be unduly burdensome.

               (h) The Company,  during the period when a prospectus relating to
          the Bonds is required  to be  delivered  under the 1933 Act,  will (i)
          file promptly all documents  required to be filed with the  Commission
          pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act and (ii)
          promptly notify the Representative by telephone and confirm in writing
          if the rating assigned by Moody's Investors Service,  Inc. or Standard
          & Poor's  Ratings  Group to any debt  securities  of the Company shall
          have been lowered or if Moody's Investors Service,  Inc. or Standard &
          Poor's  Ratings  Group  shall have  informed  the  Company or publicly
          announced  that it has under  surveillance  or review,  with  possible
          negative  implications,  its  rating of the  Bonds or any  other  debt
          securities of the Company.

               (i) Promptly  after the execution and delivery of this  Contract,
          the Company will transmit  copies of the  Prospectus to the Commission
          for filing  pursuant to Rule 424 of the 1933 Act  Regulations.  If the
          Company  elects to rely on Rule 434 of the 1933 Act,  the Company will
          prepare a Term Sheet that complies with the  requirements  of Rule 434
          of the 1933 Act  Regulations  and will transmit  copies of the form of
          Prospectus complying with Rule 434(c)(2) of the 1933 Act in accordance
          with Rule 424 under the 1933 Act Regulations.

               (j)  Between  the date hereof and the date which is 10 days after
          the Closing  Date,  the Company  will not,  without the prior  written
          consent  of the  Representative,  offer  or sell  or  enter  into  any
          agreement  to  sell,  any of  its  other  debt  securities  which  are
          substantially  similar  to the  Bonds;  it being  understood  that the
          Company  may offer and sell or enter  into an  agreement  to offer and
          sell  subordinated  debt  securities in connection with an offering of
          trust offered preferred securities.

     8. Conditions of Purchasers'  Obligations.  The several  obligations of the
Purchasers  to purchase  and pay for the Bonds shall be subject to the  accuracy
when  made of the  representations  and  warranties  on the part of the  Company
contained herein or in


                                      -10-

<PAGE>



certificates of the Company delivered  pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company of its  obligations  to be performed  hereunder at or
prior to the Closing Date and to the following further conditions:

               (a)  No  stop  order   suspending   the   effectiveness   of  the
          Registration  Statement shall be in effect at the Closing Date, and no
          proceedings  for  that  purpose  shall  then  be  pending  before,  or
          threatened by, the  Commission.  A prospectus  containing  information
          relating  to the  description  of the Bonds,  the  specific  method of
          distribution  and  similar  matters  shall  have been  filed  with the
          Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b)(1), (2), (3), (4) or (5), as
          applicable (or any required  post-effective  amendment  providing such
          information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance
          with the requirements of Rule 430A), or, if the Company has elected to
          rely upon Rule 434 of the 1933 Act Regulations, a Term Sheet including
          the Rule 434 Information  shall have been filed with the Commission in
          accordance with Rule 424(b)(7).

               (b) At the Closing  Date,  the order of the  Colorado  Commission
          authorizing  and  approving the issuance and sale of the Bonds and the
          issuance  and delivery of the Class A Bonds shall be final and in full
          force and effect and the time for appeal  therefrom or review  thereof
          or intervention with respect thereto shall have expired.

               (c) At the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a
          certificate,  dated the Closing  Date,  of the  Company  signed by its
          President  or one of its Vice  Presidents,  substantially  in the form
          thereof attached as Exhibit A hereto.

               (d) At the Closing Date, the  Representative  shall have received
          opinions,  dated the Closing Date, of LeBoeuf,  Lamb, Greene & MacRae,
          L.L.P., counsel for the Company, and Cahill Gordon & Reindel,  counsel
          for the Purchasers, substantially in the forms thereof attached hereto
          as Exhibits B and C, respectively, with reproduced or conformed copies
          thereof for each of the Purchasers.

               (e) At the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a
          letter,   dated  the  Closing   Date,   from  Arthur   Andersen   LLP,
          substantially  to the  effect  set forth in  Exhibit  D  hereto,  with
          reproduced or conformed copies thereof for each of the Purchasers.

               (f) At the Closing Date, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, counsel for the
          Purchasers, shall have been furnished with


                                      -11-

<PAGE>



          such  documents  and  opinions  as they may require for the purpose of
          enabling  them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Bonds and the
          issuance and delivery of the Class A Bonds as herein  contemplated and
          related  proceedings,   or  in  order  to  evidence  the  accuracy  or
          completeness  of any  of the  representations  or  warranties,  or the
          fulfillment  of  any of  the  conditions  herein  contained;  and  all
          proceedings  taken by the Company in connection  with the issuance and
          sale of the Bonds and the  issuance  and delivery of the Class A Bonds
          as herein  contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to
          the Representative and Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

     9.  Conditions of Company's  Obligation.  The  obligation of the Company to
deliver the Bonds shall be subject to the following conditions:

               (a)  No  stop  order   suspending   the   effectiveness   of  the
          Registration  Statement shall be in effect at the Closing Date, and no
          proceedings  for  that  purpose  shall  then  be  pending  before,  or
          threatened by, the Commission.

               (b) At the Closing  Date,  the order of the  Colorado  Commission
          authorizing  and  approving the issuance and sale of the Bonds and the
          issuance  and delivery of the Class A Bonds shall be final and in full
          force and effect and the time for appeal  therefrom or review  thereof
          or intervention with respect thereto shall have expired.

     10. Indemnification.

               (a) The  Company  agrees  to  indemnify  and hold  harmless  each
          Purchaser  and each  person  who  controls  any  Purchaser  within the
          meaning  of  Section 15 of the 1933 Act  against  any and all  losses,
          claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any
          of them may become  subject and to reimburse  each such  Purchaser and
          controlling person for any legal or other expenses (including, subject
          to  subparagraph  (c) of this paragraph 10,  reasonable  counsel fees)
          reasonably incurred by them, as incurred,  in connection with any such
          losses,   claims,   damages  or  liabilities  or  in  connection  with
          investigating or preparing for or defending against any litigation, or
          any  investigation or proceeding by any  governmental  agency or body,
          commenced or threatened,  or in connection with effecting a settlement
          of  any  such   litigation,   investigation  or  proceeding  (if  such
          settlement  is  effected  with the  written  consent of the  Company),
          insofar  as  such  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities,  expenses,
          litigation,  investigations  or proceedings arise out of, or are based
          upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a


                                      -12-

<PAGE>



          material  fact  contained  in the  Registration  Statement,  or in any
          amendment thereto,  or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
          material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the
          statements  therein not misleading,  or an untrue statement or alleged
          untrue  statement of a material fact included in the Basic  Prospectus
          or the Prospectus,  as it may have been or be amended or supplemented,
          or the  omission  or alleged  omission  therefrom  of a material  fact
          necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
          circumstances  under which they were made, not  misleading;  provided,
          however,  that the indemnity  agreement contained in this subparagraph
          (a) shall not apply to any such losses, claims, damages,  liabilities,
          expenses, litigation, investigations or proceedings arising out of, or
          based upon, any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement,  or
          any such omission or alleged  omission,  if such statement or omission
          was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
          in writing  to the  Company on behalf of any  Purchaser,  through  the
          Representative,  expressly for use in the Prospectus, or any amendment
          or  supplement  thereto,  or arising out of, or based  upon,  any such
          untrue  statement or alleged untrue statement in, or any such omission
          or alleged omission from, the Statement of Eligibility;  and provided,
          further,  that the indemnity  agreement contained in this subparagraph
          (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any  Purchaser  or of any person
          controlling such Purchaser on account of any such loss, claim, damage,
          liability,  expense,  litigation,  investigation or proceeding arising
          from the sale of Bonds to any person if (i) such Purchaser  shall have
          failed to send or give to such person (A) with or prior to the written
          confirmation of such sale, a copy of the Prospectus  together with any
          amendments or supplements  thereto which shall  theretofore  have been
          furnished to such  Purchaser,  or (B) with or prior to the delivery of
          such Bonds to such person,  a copy of any  amendment or  supplement to
          the  Prospectus  which  shall have been  furnished  to such  Purchaser
          subsequent to such written  confirmation  and prior to the delivery of
          such Bonds to such person, and (ii) in either such case, any untrue or
          misleading  statement  or  omission  made or alleged to have been made
          shall  have been  eliminated  or  remedied  in the  Prospectus  or the
          amendment or supplement thereto which such Purchaser so failed to send
          or give to such person and such  Purchaser  would not have been liable
          had a copy of such  Prospectus,  amendment or supplement,  as the case
          may be, been so sent or given to such person.  Each  Purchaser  agrees
          promptly  to  notify  the  Company  and each  other  Purchaser  of the
          commencement of any litigation, investigation or proceeding against it
          or any such  controlling  person in  connection  with the issuance and
          sale of the Bonds.


                                      -13-

<PAGE>



               (b) Each  Purchaser  agrees to  indemnify  and hold  harmless the
          Company, its directors and officers,  and each person who controls the
          Company  within the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any
          and all losses, claims,  damages or liabilities,  joint or several, to
          which they or any of them may become  subject and to reimburse each of
          them  for  any  legal  or  other  expenses   (including,   subject  to
          subparagraph  (c) of  this  paragraph  10,  reasonable  counsel  fees)
          incurred by them,  as incurred,  in  connection  with any such losses,
          claims,  damages or liabilities or in connection with investigating or
          preparing   for  or   defending   against  any   litigation,   or  any
          investigation  or  proceeding  by any  governmental  agency  or  body,
          commenced or threatened,  or in connection with effecting a settlement
          of  any  such   litigation,   investigation  or  proceeding  (if  such
          settlement  is  effected  with the written  consent of each  Purchaser
          affected   thereby),   insofar  as  such  losses,   claims,   damages,
          liabilities,  expenses,  litigations,  investigations  or  proceedings
          arise out of, or are based upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue
          statement of a material fact contained in the Registration  Statement,
          or in any  amendment  thereto,  or the  omission  or alleged  omission
          therefrom  of a  material  fact  required  to  be  stated  therein  or
          necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,  or an untrue
          statement or alleged  untrue  statement of a material fact included in
          the  Prospectus,  or  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto,  or the
          omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
          order  to  make  the   statements   therein,   in  the  light  of  the
          circumstances  under  which they were made,  not  misleading,  if such
          statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
          information  furnished  in  writing  to the  Company on behalf of such
          Purchaser,  through  the  Representative,  expressly  for  use  in the
          Registration  Statement (or any amendment  thereto) or the Prospectus,
          or any amendment or supplement thereto. The Company agrees promptly to
          notify  the  Representative  of the  commencement  of any  litigation,
          investigation or proceeding  against it, any such director or officer,
          or any such  controlling  person,  in connection with the issuance and
          sale of the Bonds.

               (c) The Company and the several  Purchasers each agree that, upon
          receipt of notice of the  commencement of any action against it or any
          director,  officer  or person  controlling  the  Company or any person
          controlling such Purchaser as aforesaid, in respect of which indemnity
          may be sought on account of any indemnity  agreement contained herein,
          it will promptly give notice of the commencement  thereof to the party
          or parties against whom indemnity shall be sought  hereunder,  but the
          omission so to notify such


                                      -14-

<PAGE>



          indemnifying  party or parties of any such  action  shall not  relieve
          such indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they
          may have to the  indemnified  party  otherwise than on account of such
          indemnity  agreement.  In case such notice of any such action shall be
          so given, such indemnifying  party shall be entitled to participate at
          its own  expense in the  defense,  or, if it so elects,  to assume (in
          conjunction with any other indemnifying  parties) the defense, of such
          action,  in which event such  defense  shall be  conducted  by counsel
          chosen by such  indemnifying  party or parties and satisfactory to the
          indemnified  party or parties who shall be defendant or  defendants in
          such action. In no event shall the indemnifying  parties be liable for
          fees and  expenses of more than one counsel (in  addition to one local
          counsel)  separate from their own counsel for all indemnified  parties
          in  connection  with any one action or separate but similar or related
          actions  in the same  jurisdiction  arising  out of the  same  general
          allegations or circumstances.  The indemnity  agreements  contained in
          this  paragraph  10 shall be in  addition to any  liability  which the
          Company or the Purchasers may otherwise have.

     11.  Contribution.  If the  indemnification  provided  for in  paragraph 10
hereof is for any reason  unavailable  to or  insufficient  to hold  harmless an
indemnified  party in  respect of any  losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities
referred to  therein;  then each  indemnifying  party  shall  contribute  to the
damages and expenses  incurred by such  indemnified  party, as incurred,  (i) in
such proportions as is appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits received by
the  Company  on the one hand and the  Purchasers  on the  other  hand  from the
offering  of the  Bonds  pursuant  to this  Contract  or (ii) if the  allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the relative  benefits  referred to in clause
(i) above but also the relative  fault of the Company on the one hand and of the
Purchasers  on the other hand in  connection  with the  statements or omissions,
which resulted in such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities,  as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations.

     The  relative  benefits  received  by the  Company  on the one hand and the
Purchasers  on the  other  hand in  connection  with the  offering  of the Bonds
pursuant  to  this  Contract  shall  be  deemed  to be in  the  same  respective
proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Bonds pursuant to
this Contract (before deducting  expenses) received by the Company and the total
underwriting  discount received by Purchasers,  in each case as set forth on the
cover of the Prospectus,  bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of
the Bonds as set forth on such cover.


                                      -15-

<PAGE>



     The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Purchasers on the
other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things,  whether any
such  untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  of a material  fact or  omission  or
alleged  omission to state a material  fact relates to  information  supplied by
Purchasers or by the Company and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access
to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     The  Company  and the  Purchasers  agree  that  it  would  not be just  and
equitable if  contribution  pursuant to this paragraph 11 were determined by pro
rata  allocation  (even if the  Purchasers  were  treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable  considerations  referred to above in this  Section 11. The  aggregate
amount of losses,  claims,  damages and  liabilities  incurred by an indemnified
party and referred to above in this  paragraph 11 shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses (including, subject to subparagraph (c) of paragraph 10,
reasonable  counsel  fees)  reasonably  incurred  by such  indemnified  party in
investigating,   preparing  or  defending   against  any   litigation,   or  any
investigation  or proceeding by any  governmental  agency or body,  commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.

     Notwithstanding  the provisions of this paragraph 11, no Purchaser shall be
required  to  contribute  any  amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Bonds  underwritten  by it and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Purchaser has
otherwise  been  required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged  untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.

     No person  guilty of  fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

     For  purposes of this  paragraph  11, each  person,  if any, who controls a
Purchaser  within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Purchaser,  and each
director of the Company and each  officer of the Company,  and each  person,  if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of paragraph 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to  contribution as the
Company. The Purchaser's  respective  obligations to contribute pursuant to this
paragraph 11 are several in proportion to the number of Bonds set forth


                                      -16-

<PAGE>



opposite their respective names in Schedule 1 hereto and not joint.

     12.  Substitution of Purchasers.  If any Purchaser or Purchasers shall fail
or refuse at the Closing  Date  (otherwise  than for some reason  sufficient  to
justify,   in  accordance  with  the  provisions  hereof,  the  cancellation  or
termination of its or their  obligations  hereunder) to purchase and pay for the
Bonds which it or they have agreed to purchase as provided in paragraph 4 hereof
(the "Defaulted Bonds"), and:

               (a) if the aggregate principal amount of the Defaulted Bonds does
          not exceed 10% of the  aggregate  principal  amount of the Bonds,  the
          remaining Purchasers (the "Non-Defaulting  Purchasers") shall have the
          right,  within a period of 24 hours  thereafter,  to make arrangements
          for  one  or  more  of the  Non-Defaulting  Purchasers,  or any  other
          purchasers  acceptable  to the Company,  to purchase all, but not less
          than all, of the Defaulted  Bonds in such principal  amounts as may be
          agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth;  if, however,  during
          such 24 hour  period  the  Non-Defaulting  Purchasers  shall  not have
          completed  such  arrangements  for the  purchase of all the  Defaulted
          Bonds,  then  the  Non-Defaulting  Purchasers  shall be  obligated  to
          purchase  and pay for the  Defaulted  Bonds  in  proportion  to  their
          respective  original  purchase  commitments  hereunder (based upon the
          ratio  that each of their  respective  original  purchase  commitments
          bears  to  the   aggregate   original   purchase   commitment  of  the
          Non-Defaulting Purchasers); or

               (b) if the  aggregate  principal  amount of the  Defaulted  Bonds
          exceeds  10% of the  aggregate  principal  amount  of the  Bonds,  the
          Non-Defaulting  Purchasers shall have the right, within a period of 24
          hours  thereafter,  to  make  arrangements  for  one  or  more  of the
          Non-Defaulting  Purchasers,  or any other purchasers acceptable to the
          Company,  to purchase the Defaulted Bonds in such principal amounts as
          may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth;  if,  however,
          during such 24 hour  period the  Non-Defaulting  Purchasers  shall not
          have completed such arrangements for the purchase of all the Defaulted
          Bonds, then the Company may, within a further period of 24 hours, make
          arrangements   with  one  or  more  other   members  of  the  National
          Association  of  Securities   Dealers,   Inc.,   satisfactory  to  the
          Non-Defaulting  Purchasers,  to purchase  and pay for,  upon the terms
          herein  set  forth,  Defaulted  Bonds  for the  purchase  of  which no
          arrangements shall have been made by the Non-Defaulting Purchasers. In
          the event that neither the  Non-Defaulting  Purchasers nor the Company
          has arranged for the purchase of


                                      -17-

<PAGE>



          the  Defaulted  Bonds as above  provided,  then  this  Contract  shall
          terminate.

     In the event that the sale and delivery of all or any  principal  amount of
the Bonds shall be  effected as provided in clause (a) or (b) above,  (a) either
the Company or the  Representative  shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date until the fifth business day after the Closing Date originally specified in
paragraph 6 hereof or such other time as the Company and the  Representative (or
the  representative  of  the  Non-Defaulting   Purchasers  and  the  substituted
purchasers,  if any, if the Representative shall be in default) shall agree, (b)
the Company shall  promptly  prepare and file with the Commission any amendments
or supplements to the Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary and (c) the
respective  principal  amounts of Bonds to be  purchased  by the  Non-Defaulting
Purchasers  or  substituted  purchasers  shall be  taken  as the  basis of their
respective purchase commitments hereunder.

     In the event that this Contract  shall  terminate as provided in clause (b)
above, neither the Company nor the Non-Defaulting  Purchasers shall be under any
obligation under this Contract except as otherwise  provided in subparagraph (c)
of paragraph 7 hereof

     No action taken by the Company or the Non-Defaulting  Purchasers under this
paragraph 12 shall relieve any  defaulting  Purchaser of liability in respect of
its default hereunder.

     13. Termination.

     (a) This  Contract may be terminated at any time at or prior to the Closing
Date by the Representative if:

          (i)  (A) the  Company  shall have  failed or  refused  to perform  any
               covenant or agreement on its part to be performed hereunder at or
               prior to the Closing  Date,  or (B) the  conditions  specified in
               paragraph 8 hereof shall not have been fulfilled;

          (ii) subsequent to the  respective  dates as of which  information  is
               given in the  Prospectus in the form first filed pursuant to Rule
               424(b),  other than as set forth or contemplated  therein at such
               time,  or subsequent to the date hereof there shall have been any
               material  adverse change in the business,  property or condition,
               financial  or  otherwise,  of the Company  and its  subsidiaries,
               considered  as one  enterprise,  whether  or not  arising  in the
               ordinary  course  of  business,  the  effect  of which is, in the
               reasonable judgment of the


                                      -18-

<PAGE>



               Representative,   so   material   and   adverse  as  to  make  it
               impracticable  or  inadvisable  for the  Purchasers to market the
               Bonds,  or to enforce  contracts for the sale of the Bonds,  upon
               the terms specified in the Prospectus;

          (iii)(A) there shall have  occurred  any  outbreak of  hostilities  or
               material  escalation  thereof or other national or  international
               calamity or crisis,  (B) trading  generally on the New York Stock
               Exchange  shall  have  been  suspended  (other  than a  temporary
               suspension  to  provide  for an  orderly  market),  or minimum or
               maximum  prices for  trading  shall have been  fixed,  or maximum
               ranges for prices for securities shall have been required on said
               exchange or by order of the Commission or any other  governmental
               authority having jurisdiction,  or (C) a banking moratorium shall
               have  been   declared  by  either   Federal  or  New  York  State
               authorities,  in any such  case  with  the  result  that,  in the
               reasonable   judgment   of  the   Representative,   it  shall  be
               impracticable  for the  Purchasers  to market  the  Bonds,  or to
               enforce  contracts  for the sale of the  Bonds,  upon  the  terms
               specified in the Prospectus; or

          (iv) the  rating  assigned  by  Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc.  or
               Standard & Poor's  Ratings  Group to any debt  securities  of the
               Company as of the date of this  Contract  shall have been lowered
               since such date or Moody's Investors Service,  Inc. or Standard &
               Poor's  Ratings Group shall have informed the Company or publicly
               announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
               negative implications,  its rating of the Bonds or any other debt
               securities of the Company.

     (b) This  Contract may be terminated at any time at or prior to the Closing
Date by the Company if the conditions  specified in paragraph 9 hereof shall not
have been fulfilled.

     (c) This Contract may be terminated by the Company as provided in paragraph
12 hereof.

     (d)  Termination of this Contract under this paragraph 13 shall be effected
by giving notice thereof to the Company or the  Representative,  as the case may
be.

     (e) Any termination of this Contract pursuant to this paragraph 13 shall be
without  liability of any party to any other party except as otherwise  provided
in subparagraph  (c) of paragraph 7 hereof and provided  further that paragraphs
10 and 11


                                      -19-

<PAGE>



shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

     14. Survival. The respective representations,  warranties and agreements of
the Company and the  Purchasers  contained  in this  Contract  or  contained  in
certificates of officers of the Company  submitted in conjunction  herewith will
remain operative and in full force and effect,  regardless of any  investigation
made by or on behalf of the Company,  any of its  directors  and officers or any
controlling person thereof,  or any Purchaser or any controlling person thereof,
and shall survive the delivery of the Bonds.

     15. Miscellaneous. This Contract shall inure to the benefit of the Company,
the  Purchasers  and,  with respect to the  provisions  of  paragraphs 10 and 11
hereof,  each  director,  officer  and  controlling  person  referred to in said
paragraphs 10 and 11, and their respective successors.  Nothing in this Contract
is  intended  or  shall  be  construed  to give  to any  other  person,  firm or
corporation any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of
this Contract or any provision herein  contained.  The term "successors" as used
in this  Contract  shall not include any  purchaser  of any of the Bonds  merely
because of such purchase. The validity and interpretation of this Contract shall
be governed by the laws of the State of New York.  This Contract may be executed
in one or more  counterparts,  and if executed in more than one  counterpart the
executed counterparts shall constitute a single instrument.

     16. Notices.  Except as herein otherwise specifically provided, all notices
and  other  communications  hereunder  shall  be in  writing  and if sent to the
Purchasers shall be mailed,  delivered or telecopied and confirmed in writing to
the  Representative  at the address and telecopy  number set forth in Schedule I
hereto or, if sent to the  Company,  shall be mailed,  delivered  or  telecopied
(303-294-2583)  and confirmed in writing to it at 1225 17th Street,  Denver,  CO
80202, Attention: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, with a copy
to  (212-424-8500)  and confirmed in writing to LeBoeuf,  Lamb, Greene & MacRae,
L.L.P., 125 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Susan A. Marshall.


                                      -20-

<PAGE>



     The  Company  and the  Representative,  on behalf of the  Purchasers,  have
caused this Bond Purchase  Contract to be executed and delivered  this fifteenth
day of April, 1998.

                                   PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO


                                   By       /s/ Brian P. Jackson
                                       Title:  Senior Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer


                                   SALOMON BROTHERS INC
                                   As Representative of the Purchasers
                                   listed in Schedule I hereto


                                   By       /s/ Jeffrey A. Clyde
                                       Title:  Vice President



                                      -21-

<PAGE>



                                                                     SCHEDULE I


                                   PURCHASERS

                                                           Principal Amount of
                                                         First Collateral Trust
                                                           Bonds, Series No. 6
Purchaser                                                   6% Bonds Due 2003
- ---------
Salomon Brothers Inc                                            $100,000,000
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens                                    50,000,000
Chase Securities Inc.                                             50,000,000
J.P. Morgan & Co.                                                 50,000,000
                                                                ------------
        Total.................................                  $250,000,000
                                                                ============


                                 REPRESENTATIVE


Name:                      Salomon Brothers Inc
Address:                   7 World Trade Center
                           New York, New York  10048
Attention:                 Peter Kind
Telecopy No.:              212-816-0901



                                      -22-

<PAGE>



                                                                    SCHEDULE II

                         INFORMATION REGARDING THE BONDS
                              AND THE SALE THEREOF



1.   Registration Statement No.:......................................333-47485

2.   Aggregate Principal Amount(s), Maturity Date(s) and Interest Rate(s):


        Principal                      Maturity                    Interest
          Amount                         Date                        Rate
       $250,000,000                 April 15, 2003                    6%

3.   Interest Payment Dates:  April 15 and October 15

4.   Record Dates:  April 1 and October 1

5.   Interest to Accrue from:  April 20, 1998

6.   Price to Be Paid to Company:  99.252% of the principal amount, plus accrued
     interest,  if any,  from  April 20,  1998 to the date of  payment  by,  and
     delivery to, the Purchasers.

7.   Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:  Wire transfer
     of immediately available funds.

8.   Initial Public  Offering Price (if any):  99.852% of the principal  amount,
     plus accrued  interest,  if any, from April 20, 1998 to the date of payment
     by, and delivery to, the ultimate purchaser.

9.   Closing Date: April 20, 1998

10.  Optional Redemption: The Bonds will not be redeemable prior to maturity.

11.  Sinking Fund: None.

12.  Basic  Prospectus:  The Basic  Prospectus  referred to in the Bond Purchase
     Contract shall mean and refer to the Basic Prospectus dated April 3, 1998.


                                      -23-

<PAGE>



                                                                     Exhibit A
                                                                        to
                                                                   Bond Purchase
                                                                     Contract


                       PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO

                                   CERTIFICATE


     Pursuant to paragraph 8(c) of the Bond Purchase  Contract,  dated _________
(the  "Contract"),  between  Public  Service  Company  of  Colorado,  a Colorado
corporation  (the  "Company"),  and the several  Purchasers  named in Schedule I
thereto, the Company DOES HEREBY CERTIFY that:

          (a) No stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the  Registration
     Statement  is in effect and no  proceedings  for that  purpose  are pending
     before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

          (b) The order of the Colorado Commission authorizing and approving the
     issuance and sale of the Bonds and the issuance and delivery of the Class A
     Bonds  is final  and in full  force  and  effect  and the  time for  appeal
     therefrom  or review  thereof or  intervention  with  respect  thereto  has
     expired.

          (c) At the date hereof, the Prospectus, as it may have been amended or
     supplemented, complies with the provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
     Regulations,  or pursuant to the 1933 Act  Regulations  is deemed to comply
     therewith;  and, at the date of the Contract,  the Prospectus did not, and,
     at the  date  hereof,  the  Prospectus,  as it may  have  been  amended  or
     supplemented,  does not,  include an untrue statement of a material fact or
     omit to state a material  fact  necessary  in order to make the  statements
     therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
     misleading; provided, however, that none of the foregoing certifications in
     this  paragraph  (c) shall apply to  statements  in or  omissions  from the
     Prospectus,  as it may have been amended or supplemented,  made in reliance
     upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
     by or on behalf of any Purchaser, through the Representative, expressly for
     use in the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement  thereto.  The Company
     has  delivered  to the  Representative  copies  of the  Prospectus  and all
     amendments and supplements thereto.


                                       -1-

<PAGE>



          (d)  The  financial  statements   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
     Prospectus, as it may have been amended or supplemented, present fairly the
     financial  position of the Company and its consolidated  subsidiaries as at
     the dates  indicated  and the results of their  operations  for the periods
     specified;  and, except as otherwise  stated in the  Prospectus,  as it may
     have been amended or  supplemented,  such  financial  statements  have been
     prepared  in  conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles
     applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved.  Arthur Andersen
     LLP, the  accountants who certified  certain of such financial  statements,
     are independent  certified  public  accountants as required by the 1933 Act
     and the 1933 Act Regulations.

          (e) Except as may  otherwise be reflected  in or  contemplated  by the
     Prospectus,  as it  may  have  been  amended  or  supplemented,  since  the
     respective  dates as of which  information is given therein,  (i) there has
     been no material  adverse change or any  development  or event  involving a
     prospective material adverse change in the business, property or condition,
     financial or otherwise,  of the Company and its subsidiaries  considered as
     one  enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
     and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has entered into
     any  transactions  which are  material to the Company and its  subsidiaries
     considered  as one  enterprise,  other  than  in  the  ordinary  course  of
     business; and, except as so reflected or contemplated,  neither the Company
     nor  any of its  subsidiaries  has any  contingent  obligations  which  are
     material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (f) The Company has been duly  incorporated and is validly existing as
     a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Colorado with
     corporate  power  and  authority  to own its  properties  and  conduct  its
     business as  described  in the  Prospectus,  as it may have been amended or
     supplemented.

          (g) The  representations  and  warranties of the Company  contained in
     subparagraphs (g), (h), (i), (j) and (k) of paragraph 3 of the Contract are
     true and correct as of the date hereof.

     All terms contained in this  Certificate  which are defined in the Contract
are used herein with the same meaning as in the Contract.


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



     IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the Company has caused this Certificate to be executed
on its behalf this ____ day of _______ 199__.

                                        PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO


                                        By________________________________
                                        Title_____________________________




                                       -3-

<PAGE>



                                                                    Exhibit B
                                                                        to
                                                                  Bond Purchase
                                                                     Contract

             [LETTERHEAD OF LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.]

[Purchasers]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have  acted as  counsel  to Public  Service  Company  of  Colorado  (the
"Company") in connection with the sale by the Company of $250,000,000  aggregate
principal amount of First  Collateral  Trust Bonds,  Series No. 6 (the "Bonds"),
which are  registered  pursuant  to the  registration  statement  (File No. 333-
47485) of the Company for the registration  under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 Act"), of up to $450,000,000  aggregate  principal  amount of
securities,  including its first collateral  trust bonds.  This opinion is being
delivered to you pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Bond Purchase  Contract,  dated
__________________  (the  "Purchase  Contract"),  between  the  Company  and the
several  purchasers named therein (the  "Purchasers").  Unless otherwise stated,
defined terms used herein shall have the  respective  meanings given them in the
Purchase Contract.

     We are not general  counsel to the Company  and our  representation  of the
Company consists of advising it with respect to corporate and regulatory matters
as to which we have been specifically  consulted. We are familiar with the legal
matters  pertaining to, and the corporate  proceedings of the Company taken with
respect to, the authorization, issuance and sale by the Company of the Bonds and
the authorization, issuance and delivery of the Class A Bonds. We have examined,
among other  things,  the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus,  and any
amendment or  supplement  thereto,  the  corporate  records of the Company,  the
Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture creating the Bonds, the PSCO 1939 Mortgage
and the supplemental indenture thereto (the "1939 Supplemental  Mortgage") under
which the Class A Bonds are being  issued,  the  proceedings  before  The Public
Utilities  Commission  of the State of Colorado with respect to the issuance and
sale of the Bonds and the  issuance  and  delivery of the Class A Bonds and such
other  proceedings,  papers and  documents  as we have deemed  relevant  for the
purpose of rendering the opinions enumerated below. In such examination, we have
assumed the  genuineness of all  signatures,  the  authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as originals,  the  conformity to the original  documents of all
documents  submitted  to us as copies and the  authenticity  of all such  latter
documents. We have relied as


                                       -1-

<PAGE>



to various questions of fact (but not as to legal  conclusions) upon discussions
with officers and  representatives  of the Company and the  representations  and
warranties  of the  Company  contained  in the  Purchase  Contract  and upon the
certificates of public  officials and of officers of the Company being delivered
to you thereunder.  With respect to the opinions  expressed in paragraphs  (ix),
(x) and (xi) below,  we have relied on information  obtained from public records
and from the Company.

     On  the  basis  of the  foregoing,  and  subject  to  the  limitations  and
qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that:

     (i)  The Company has been duly  incorporated  and is validly  existing as a
          corporation  in good standing  under the laws of the State of Colorado
          with  corporate  power and authority to own its properties and conduct
          its  business  as  described   in  the   Prospectus,   as  amended  or
          supplemented  to the date hereof.  To the best of our  knowledge,  the
          Company  is  duly  qualified  as a  foreign  corporation  to  transact
          business and is in good  standing in each  jurisdiction  in which such
          qualification  is required,  except where the failure to so qualify or
          be in good standing  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the
          business, properties or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries
          considered as one enterprise.

     (ii) The  Indenture  has been duly and  validly  authorized,  executed  and
          delivered  by the Company and is in due and proper form and  (assuming
          the Indenture has been duly authorized,  executed and delivered by the
          Trustee)  constitutes  a legal,  valid  and  binding  mortgage  of the
          Company,   enforceable  in  accordance  with  its  terms,   except  as
          enforcement  thereof may be limited by laws and  principles  of equity
          affecting   generally  the   enforcement  of  mortgagees'   and  other
          creditors'  rights,   including  without  limitation   bankruptcy  and
          insolvency laws and state laws which affect the enforcement of certain
          remedial  provisions of the Indenture;  provided,  however,  that such
          state laws will not, in our opinion,  render the remedies  afforded by
          the Indenture inadequate for the practical  realization of the benefit
          of the security provided thereby.

     (iii)The Indenture is qualified  under the Trust  Indenture Act of 1939, as
          amended.


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



     (iv) The Bonds are in due and proper form and the  issuance and sale of the
          Bonds have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and
          when duly  executed,  authenticated  and  delivered to the  Purchasers
          pursuant to the Purchase Contract against payment of the consideration
          set  forth  therein,  the  Bonds  will be  legal,  valid  and  binding
          obligations of the Company enforceable  (subject to the exceptions and
          limitations  referred to in paragraph (ii) hereof) in accordance  with
          their  terms  and  entitled  to  the  benefits  and  security  of  the
          Indenture; and, assuming that the Supplemental Indenture has been duly
          transmitted to the appropriate public officials for recording and will
          be duly recorded,  the Bonds will be secured  equally and ratably with
          all other bonds outstanding under the Indenture.

     (v)  The PSCO 1939 Mortgage has been duly and validly authorized,  executed
          and  delivered  by the  Company  and is in due  and  proper  form  and
          (assuming  the PSCO 1939 Mortgage has been duly  authorized,  executed
          and delivered by the trustee  thereunder)  constitutes a legal,  valid
          and binding  mortgage of the Company,  enforceable in accordance  with
          its terms,  except as  enforcement  thereof may be limited by laws and
          principles  of  equity   affecting   generally  the   enforcement   of
          mortgagees' and other creditors' rights,  including without limitation
          bankruptcy  and  insolvency  laws and  state  laws  which  affect  the
          enforcement of certain remedial  provisions of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage;
          provided,  however,  that such  state laws will not,  in our  opinion,
          render the remedies afforded by the PSCO 1939 Mortgage  inadequate for
          the  practical  realization  of the benefit of the  security  provided
          thereby.

     (vi) The  Class A Bonds are in due and  proper  form and the  issuance  and
          delivery  of the  Class A  Bonds  have  been  duly  authorized  by all
          necessary  corporate action;  and when (a) the Class A Bonds have been
          duly executed and authenticated pursuant to the PSCO 1939 Mortgage and
          delivered to the Trustee  pursuant to the  Indenture and (b) the Bonds
          have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered to the Purchasers
          pursuant to the Purchase Contract against payment of the consideration
          set forth therein,  the Class A Bonds will be legal, valid and binding
          obligations of the Company enforceable  (subject to the exceptions and
          limitations  referred to in paragraph (iv) hereof) in accordance  with
          their terms and entitled to the benefits and


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



          security  of the  PSCO  1939  Mortgage;  and,  assuming  that the 1939
          Supplemental  Mortgage has been duly  transmitted  to the  appropriate
          public officials for recording and will be duly recorded,  the Class A
          Bonds  will be  secured  equally  and  ratably  with all  other  bonds
          outstanding  under the PSCO 1939  Mortgage  (except to the extent that
          any  sinking,  amortization,  improvement  or other  fund  may  afford
          additional security for such bonds of any particular series).

     (vii)The  Purchase   Contract  has  been  duly  authorized,   executed  and
          delivered by the Company.

     (viii) The issuance and sale of the Bonds, and the issuance and delivery of
          the Class A Bonds,  have been duly authorized and approved by an order
          of The Public  Utilities  Commission of the State of Colorado and such
          order is final and in full  force and effect on the date  hereof,  the
          time for  appeal  therefrom  or review  thereof or  intervention  with
          respect thereto having expired;  no further  approval,  authorization,
          consent or other order of any public  board or body,  including  under
          the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, is legally
          required  (other than in connection or compliance  with the provisions
          of the securities laws of any  jurisdiction) for the issuance and sale
          by the Company of the Bonds  pursuant to the Purchase  Contract or for
          the issuance and delivery of the Class A Bonds.

     (ix) The  Company  has good title to the real  properties  specifically  or
          generally  described or referred to in the  Indenture  and in the PSCO
          1939 Mortgage as subject to the respective  liens thereof (except such
          real property as may have been sold,  exchanged or otherwise  disposed
          of), subject only to (a) in the case of all such properties,  the lien
          of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage and "permitted  encumbrances" (as defined in
          the PSCO 1939 Mortgage) and (b) in the case of such  properties  which
          are used or to be used in or in connection  with the Electric  Utility
          Business  (as  defined in the  Indenture)  (whether or not such is the
          sole use of such  property)  the lien of the  Indenture  and Permitted
          Liens (as defined in the Indenture).

     (x)  The  Indenture   constitutes   a  mortgage  lien  on  the   properties
          specifically or generally  described or referred to therein as subject
          to the lien  thereof  (except such  properties  as may have been sold,
          exchanged or otherwise disposed of or released from the


                                       -4-

<PAGE>



          lien  thereof in  accordance  with the terms  thereof),  subject to no
          liens prior to the lien of the Indenture  other than  Permitted  Liens
          and the lien of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage; and the Indenture by its terms
          effectively subjects to the lien thereof all property (except property
          of the kinds  specifically  excepted from the lien of the Indenture by
          the terms thereof) acquired by the Company after the date of execution
          and  delivery  of  the  Indenture  and  used  or to be  used  in or in
          connection with the Electric  Utility  Business,  subject to Permitted
          Liens,  the lien of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage,  any lien thereon existing
          at the time of such  acquisition  and to any liens for unpaid portions
          of the purchase money placed thereon at the time of such  acquisition,
          and  also  subject  to  the  provisions  of  Article  Thirteen  of the
          Indenture  and to certain  possible  claims of a trustee in bankruptcy
          and possible claims and taxes of the federal government.

     (xi) The  PSCO  1939  Mortgage  constitutes  a first  mortgage  lien on the
          properties  specifically or generally described or referred to therein
          as subject to the lien thereof), including the shares of stock pledged
          thereunder  (except such property as may have been sold,  exchanged or
          otherwise  disposed of or released from the lien thereof in accordance
          with the terms thereof),  subject to no liens prior to the lien of the
          PSCO 1939 Mortgage other than "permitted  encumbrances";  and the PSCO
          1939  Mortgage by its terms  effectively  subjects to the lien thereof
          all property (except property of the kinds specifically  excepted from
          the lien of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage by the terms  thereof)  acquired by
          the Company  after the date of the  execution and delivery of the PSCO
          1939  Mortgage,  subject  to  "permitted  encumbrances",  to any  lien
          thereon  existing at the time of such acquisition and to any liens for
          unpaid  portions of the purchase  money placed  thereon at the time of
          such acquisition,  and also subject to the provisions of Article XI of
          the PSCO 1939 Mortgage and to certain  possible claims of a trustee in
          bankruptcy and possible claims and taxes of the federal government.

     (xii)The facsimile signature of an Executive Vice President,  a Senior Vice
          President  or a Vice  President  of the  Company in lieu of his or her
          manual  signature on the Bonds and the Class A Bonds and the facsimile
          signature of the  Secretary  or an Assistant  Secretary of the Company
          attesting the corporate seal in lieu of his or


                                       -5-

<PAGE>



          her manual signature on the Bonds and the Class A Bonds have been duly
          and properly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company,  are
          not  inconsistent  with the  provisions  of the  Restated  Articles of
          Incorporation, as amended, or By-Laws of the Company and are valid and
          effective  under the laws of the State of Colorado;  and the facsimile
          signatures  of such  officers  on the Bonds and the Class A Bonds have
          the same legal effect as though they had manually  signed and attested
          the Bonds and the Class A Bonds as such respective officers.

     (xiii) The  statements in the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
          fiscal year ended  December 31, 1997,  incorporated  by reference into
          the Prospectus,  under the heading "Character of Ownership" in Item 2.
          Properties,  to the extent such statements relate to the Company,  and
          the  statements  in the  Prospectus,  and any  amendment or supplement
          thereto, under the caption "Security" under "Description of the Bonds"
          and "Description of the 1939 Mortgage",  insofar as they are, or refer
          to,  statements  of law or legal  conclusions,  have been  prepared or
          reviewed by us and are  correct in all  material  respects  and fairly
          present the information purported to be given.

     (xiv)The  Bonds,  the  Indenture,  the  Class A Bonds  and  the  PSCO  1939
          Mortgage  conform as to legal matters to the  description of the terms
          thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as
          amended or supplemented to the date hereof.

     (xv) The Registration Statement is effective under the 1933 Act and, to the
          best of our  knowledge,  no  proceedings  for a stop  order  have been
          instituted or are pending or threatened under Section 8(d) of the 1933
          Act; and, at the time the Registration  Statement became effective and
          at the  date of the  Purchase  Contract,  the  Registration  Statement
          complied, and, at the date hereof, the Prospectus, as it may have been
          amended or supplemented, complies, as to form in all material respects
          with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the applicable instructions,
          rules and regulations  thereunder,  or pursuant to said  instructions,
          rules  and  regulations  are  deemed  to have  complied  or to  comply
          therewith,  although we do not express any opinion as to the financial
          statements  (including  the  notes  thereto)  or  other  financial  or
          statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>



     We do  not  know  of any  legal  or  governmental  proceeding  (pending  or
threatened)  required  to be  described  in the  Registration  Statement  or the
Prospectus,  as  amended  or  supplemented  to the  date  hereof,  which  is not
described as required,  nor of any contract or document of a character  required
to be described in the Registration  Statement or the Prospectus,  as amended or
supplemented  to  the  date  hereof,  or  to  be  filed  as an  exhibit  to  the
Registration Statement which is not described or filed as required.

     In connection with this opinion,  we have  participated in discussions with
officers  and   representatives  of  the  Company,  in  certain  of  which  your
representatives  and counsel also  participated  and at which the affairs of the
Company and the contents of the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus were
discussed.  There is no  assurance  that all possible  material  facts as to the
Company  were  disclosed to us or that our  familiarity  with the Company or the
operations  in which it is engaged is such that we have  necessarily  recognized
the materiality of such facts as were  disclosed,  and we have to a large extent
relied upon statements of officers and  representatives of the Company as to the
materiality  of those facts  disclosed to us. We are not passing upon and do not
assume any  responsibility  for the  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the
statements contained in the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus except to
the  limited  extent  referred  to in  paragraph  (xiii)  above.  Subject to the
foregoing,  and to the other  limitations and  qualifications  expressed in this
letter,  we may state that nothing has come to our attention  that would lead us
to believe that the Registration Statement,  when it became effective, or at the
date of the Purchase Contract,  contained an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary
to make  the  statements  therein  not  misleading,  or  that,  at the  date the
Prospectus Supplement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
Prospectus included, or, at the date hereof, the Prospectus, as it may have been
amended or  supplemented,  includes an untrue  statement  of a material  fact or
omitted,  or omits,  to state a  material  fact  necessary  in order to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made,  not  misleading;  provided,  that we do not  express any belief as to the
financial  statements  (including  the  notes  thereto)  or other  financial  or
statistical  data  contained or  incorporated  by reference in the  Registration
Statement or the Prospectus,  or any amendment or supplement  thereto, as to any
information  contained  therein  furnished  to the  Company  in  writing  by any
Purchaser expressly for use therein or as to the Statement of Eligibility.


                                       -7-

<PAGE>



     This  opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the State
of Colorado and the federal law of the United States of America. In addition, we
are not opining  herein with respect to the securities or "blue sky" laws of any
state.  Finally,  this opinion  speaks as of the date hereof and we undertake no
responsibility  to  advise  you of any  change in  circumstances  after the date
hereof.

     U.S. Bank Trust National Association is hereby authorized to rely upon this
letter as if this letter were addressed to it. Cahill Gordon & Reindel is hereby
authorized  to rely upon this  letter as to matters  governed  by the law of the
State of Colorado as if this  letter  were  addressed  to it. This letter is not
being delivered for the benefit of, nor may it be relied upon by, the holders of
the Bonds or any other  party to which it is not  specifically  addressed  or to
which reliance has not expressly been permitted hereby.

                                        Very truly yours,



                                       -8-

<PAGE>



                                                                    Exhibit C
                                                                       to
                                                                  Bond Purchase
                                                                    Contract


                     [LETTERHEAD OF CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL]


[Purchasers]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have  acted as counsel  for the  Purchasers  named in the Bond  Purchase
Contract,  dated  [________________]  (the "Purchase  Contract"),  among you and
Public Service Company of Colorado, a Colorado  corporation (the "Company"),  in
connection with the sale by the Company to you,  severally,  and the purchase by
you, severally,  of $250,000,000  aggregate principal amount of First Collateral
Trust Bonds,  Series No. 6 of the Company (the "Bonds"),  being issued under its
Indenture,  dated as of October 1, 1993, to U.S. Bank Trust National Association
(formerly First Trust of New York, National  Association),  as successor trustee
to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York (formerly Guaranty Trust Company of
New York), and all indentures  supplemental thereto,  including the Supplemental
Indenture dated as of ___________________ creating the Bonds (the "Supplemental
Indenture")  (said  Indenture  dated as of  October  1, 1993 and all  indentures
supplemental  thereto  being  hereinafter   collectively   referred  to  as  the
"Indenture").

     In rendering  our opinions set forth herein,  we have  examined  originals,
photocopies or conformed  copies  certified to our satisfaction of all corporate
records. agreements,  instruments and documents of the Company,  certificates of
public officials and other  certificates and opinions,  and have made such other
investigations  as we deem necessary,  in connection with the opinions set forth
herein. In such examination,  we have, without any independent  investigation or
verification, assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
documents  submitted to us as originals  and the  conformity to originals of all
documents submitted to us as photocopies or conformed copies.

     Based upon the foregoing,  and subject to the assumptions set forth herein,
we advise you that in our opinion (based to the extent  indicated below upon the
opinions of other counsel hereinafter mentioned):


                                       -1-

<PAGE>



          (1)  The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
               a  corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the State of
               Colorado with corporate power and authority to own its properties
               and  conduct its  business as  described  in the  Prospectus,  as
               amended or supplemented to the date hereof.

          (2)  The Indenture has been duly and validly authorized,  executed and
               delivered by the Company and  (assuming  the  Indenture  has been
               duly   authorized,   executed  and   delivered  by  the  Trustee)
               constitutes a legal,  valid and binding  mortgage of the Company,
               enforceable in accordance  with its terms,  except as enforcement
               thereof may be limited by laws and principles of equity affecting
               generally the  enforcement  of mortgagees'  and other  creditors'
               rights,  including without  limitation  bankruptcy and insolvency
               laws and state  laws  which  affect  the  enforcement  of certain
               remedial provisions of the Indenture.

          (3)  The Indenture is qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
               as amended.

          (4)  The Bonds are in due and proper form and the issuance and sale of
               the  Bonds  by the  Company  have  been  duly  authorized  by all
               necessary    corporate   action,   and,   when   duly   executed,
               authenticated  and  delivered to the  Purchasers  pursuant to the
               Purchase  Contract against payment of the consideration set forth
               therein,  the Bonds will be legal, valid and binding  obligations
               of  the  Company  enforceable  (subject  to  the  exceptions  and
               limitations  referred to in paragraph  (2) hereof) in  accordance
               with their terms and entitled to the benefits and security of the
               Indenture; and the Bonds will be secured equally and ratably with
               all other bonds outstanding under the Indenture.

          (5)  The PSCO  1939  Mortgage  has been duly and  validly  authorized,
               executed and delivered


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



               by the Company and (assuming the PSCO 1939 Mortgage has been duly
               authorized,  executed and  delivered  by the trustee  thereunder)
               constitutes a legal,  valid and binding  mortgage of the Company,
               enforceable in accordance  with its terms,  except as enforcement
               thereof may be limited by laws and principles of equity affecting
               generally the  enforcement  of mortgagees'  and other  creditors'
               rights,  including without  limitation  bankruptcy and insolvency
               laws and state  laws  which  affect  the  enforcement  of certain
               remedial provisions of the PSCO 1939 Mortgage.

          (6)  The Class A Bonds are in due and proper form and the issuance and
               delivery  of the  Class A Bonds by the  Company  have  been  duly
               authorized by all necessary  corporate  action;  and when (a) the
               Class  A  Bonds  have  been  duly  executed,   authenticated  and
               delivered to the Trustee  pursuant to the  Indenture  and (b) the
               Bonds have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered to the
               Purchasers  pursuant to the Purchase  Contract against payment of
               the  consideration  set forth therein,  the Class A Bonds will be
               legal, valid and binding  obligations of the Company  enforceable
               (subject  to  the  exceptions  and  limitations  referred  to  in
               paragraph (5) hereof) in accordance with their terms and entitled
               to the benefits and security of the PSCO 1939  Mortgage;  and the
               Class A Bonds will be secured  equally and ratably with all other
               bonds  outstanding  under the PSCO 1939  Mortgage  (except to the
               extent that any sinking, amortization,  improvement or other fund
               may afford  additional  security for such bonds of any particular
               series).

          (7)  The  Purchase  Contract  has been duly  authorized,  executed and
               delivered by the Company.

          (8)  The issuance and sale of the Bonds, and the issuance and delivery
               of the Class A Bonds,  have been duly  authorized and approved by
               the Colorado Commission; no


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



               further  approval,  authorization,  consent or other order of any
               public board or body,  including under the Public Utility Holding
               Company Act of 1935, as amended,  is legally required (other than
               in connection or compliance with the provisions of the securities
               laws  of any  jurisdiction)  for  the  issuance  and  sale by the
               Company of the Bonds pursuant to the Purchase Contract or for the
               issuance and delivery of the Class A Bonds.

          (9)  The  Bonds,  the  Indenture,  the Class A Bonds and the PSCO 1939
               Mortgage  conform as to legal matters to the  description  of the
               terms  thereof  contained in the  Registration  Statement and the
               Prospectus, as amended or supplemented to the date hereof.

          (10) The  Registration  Statement is effective under the 1933 Act and,
               to the best of our  knowledge,  no  proceedings  for a stop order
               have been  instituted or are pending or threatened  under Section
               8(d) of the 1933 Act; and, at the time the Registration Statement
               became effective,  the Registration  Statement complied,  and, at
               the date hereof,  the  Prospectus,  as amended or supplemented to
               the date hereof,  complies,  as to form in all material  respects
               with  the  requirements  of  the  1933  Act  and  the  applicable
               instructions,  rules and regulations  thereunder,  or pursuant to
               said  instructions,  rules  and  regulations  are  deemed to have
               complied or to comply  therewith,  although we do not express any
               opinion  as to the  financial  statements  (including  the  notes
               thereto)  or other  financial  data or  statistical  included  or
               incorporated by reference therein.

     We have participated in discussions with officers and other representatives
of the  Company,  counsel  for the  Company,  representatives  of the  Company's
independent public accountants and your representatives and counsel at which the
contents of the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and related  matters
were discussed and, although we are not passing upon and do not


                                       -4-

<PAGE>



assume any  responsibility  for the  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the
statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except to
the extent  referred to in paragraph  (9) above),  on the basis of the foregoing
(relying as to  materiality  to a large extent upon the opinions of officers and
other  representatives of the Company), no facts have come to our attention that
would lead us to believe that either the Registration Statement,  when it became
effective  [and,  if an  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement or an Annual
Report on Form 10-K has been filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent
to the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement,  then at the time each such
amendment became effective and at the time of the filing of the most recent such
Form 10-K], contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make  the
statements  therein  not  misleading,  or  that,  at  the  date  the  Prospectus
Supplement was filed with the Commission,  the Prospectus  included,  or, at the
date  hereof,  the  Prospectus,  as it may have been  amended  or  supplemented,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, or omits, to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not  misleading  (it  being
understood  that we do not  make  any  comment  with  respect  to the  financial
statements  (including the notes thereto) or other financial or statistical data
contained or  incorporated  by reference  in the  Registration  Statement or the
Prospectus,   or  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  or  with  respect  to
information  contained  therein  furnished  to the  Company  in  writing  by any
Purchaser expressly for use therein or as to the Form T-1).

     This  opinion  is  limited  to the  laws of the  State  of New York and the
federal  law of the United  States of America.  Accordingly,  in  rendering  the
opinions above, we have relied, with your consent, as to all matters governed by
the law of the State of Colorado,  upon the opinion of LeBoeuf,  Lamb,  Greene &
MacRae,  L.L.P.,  of even date herewith  addressed to you. We express no opinion
upon matters  regarding  titles to  properties  of the Company,  the lien of the
Indenture or the filing or the  recordation  thereof,  the lien of the PSCO 1939
Mortgage  or the  filing or the  recordation  thereof,  or of the  validity  and
sufficiency of the  franchises,  licenses and permits of the Company in carrying
on its business.

                                               Very truly yours,



                                       -5-

<PAGE>



                                                                    Exhibit D
                                                                       to
                                                                  Bond Purchase
                                                                    Contract


                    CONTENTS OF LETTER OF ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


     The letter of Arthur  Andersen LLP will  confirm that they are  independent
public  accountants  within  the  meaning  of the  1933  Act  and the  1933  Act
Regulations, and will state in effect that:

               (a) in their opinion,  the consolidated  financial statements and
          supporting  financial  schedules  audited by them and  incorporated by
          reference  in the  Registration  Statement  comply  as to  form in all
          material respects with the applicable  accounting  requirements of the
          1933  Act and the  1934 Act and the  applicable  respective  published
          rules and regulations thereunder;

               (b) on the  basis  of a  limited  review  (but  not an  audit  in
          accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing   standards)  of  the
          unaudited  consolidated   condensed  financial  statements,   if  any,
          included in the  Incorporated  Documents  and of the latest  available
          interim consolidated financial statements of the Company, a reading of
          any  unaudited  pro  forma  financial   statements   included  in  the
          Prospectus  or the  Incorporated  Documents,  a reading  of all recent
          minutes of meetings of the Board of  Directors  of the Company and the
          Executive  and Audit  Committees  thereof (or for  meetings  for which
          minutes had not yet been prepared,  discussions with a Company officer
          of the actions taken  thereat),  of the shareholder of the Company and
          of  the   shareholders  and  Boards  of  Directors  of  the  Company's
          consolidated  subsidiaries,  and  discussions  with  officers  of  the
          Company  responsible  for  financial and  accounting  matters and such
          other  inquiries  and  procedures  as may be specified in such letter,
          nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that:

               (i)  any material  modifications  should be made to the unaudited
                    consolidated   condensed  financial   statements,   if  any,
                    included  in the  Incorporated  Documents  for them to be in
                    conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, or


                                       -1-

<PAGE>



               (ii) the unaudited  consolidated  condensed financial statements,
                    if any, included in the Incorporated Documents do not comply
                    as to form in all  material  respects  with  the  applicable
                    accounting  requirements  of the  1934  Act and the  related
                    published  1934  Act  Regulations,   or  said   consolidated
                    condensed  financial  statements are not in conformity  with
                    generally accepted accounting  principles applied on a basis
                    substantially   consistent   with   that   of  the   audited
                    consolidated financial statements  incorporated by reference
                    therein, or

               (iii)the unaudited [income statement  amounts],  if any, included
                    in the  Prospectus  Supplement do not agree with the amounts
                    set forth in the unaudited consolidated financial statements
                    for those  same  periods or were not  determined  on a basis
                    substantially consistent with that of the audited statements
                    of income, or

               (iv) any unaudited pro forma financial statements included in the
                    Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents do not comply as to
                    form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
                    requirements  of Rule  11-02  of  Regulation  S-X or the pro
                    forma  adjustments  have not  properly  been  applied to the
                    historical  amounts in the compilation of those  statements,
                    or

               (v)  (A) there was any change in the consolidated  capital stock,
                    or any increase in the long-term debt of the Company and its
                    consolidated  subsidiaries,  or any decrease in consolidated
                    net  assets,  at a  specified  date not more than three days
                    prior  to the  date of such  letter  as  compared  with  the
                    corresponding  amounts shown in the most recent consolidated
                    balance  sheet or condensed  balance sheet  incorporated  by
                    reference in the Prospectus, or

                    (B)  there  was  any  decrease  in  consolidated   operating
                    revenues  or net income for the period  from the date of the
                    latest consolidated balance sheet or condensed balance sheet
                    incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus to a specified
                    date not later  than  three  days  prior to the date of such
                    letter as  compared to such  amounts  for the  corresponding
                    period during the previous year,

          [except in all instances for changes, increases or decreases which the
          Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are disclosed
          in such letter;]


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



               (c) they have  carried out certain  procedures  and made  certain
          findings,  specified in such letter,  with respect to certain  amounts
          and  percentages  included  in the  Prospectus  and  the  Incorporated
          Documents and such other items as the  Representative  may  reasonably
          request.



                                       -3-
 


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